NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1935, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Recovery After Accident.

Satisfactory progress is being made by Elwyn Metcalfe, who was admitted to the New Plymouth Hospital on Friday suffering from concussion. Metcalfe, who is a pupil of the boys’ high school, was cycling to his home at Kaimata when he collided with the back of a stationary borough bus on Avenue Road. Concerts at Rangiatea Homo.

Appreciation of the work of the New Plymouth group of Toe H in organising concert parties for the Rangiatea Home was expressed by the Taranaki Hospital Board yesterday. The group has undertaken to organise monthly concerts at the home, the two programmes already provided were enjoyable, and were well received by the inmates. New Plymouth’s Achievement.

A remarkable achievement that may nevei- again be equalled in New Zealand is that of the New Plymouth League Cycle Club, members of which hold the four big professional cycle long distance race cups. The riders are:—WannabeChristchurch, W. Ashman; mountain road race, L. Wood; Palmerston North-Wel-lington, H. Snowden; Hamilton-Auck-land, L. Stevens. Bag-snatching at New Plymouth.

A young woman’s handbag was snatched from her at New Plymouth on Monday night near the comer of Carrington Road and Pendarves Street by a man who immediately disappeared. The young woman, however, was able to give some account of him as she had noticed him previously near the Vivian Street bridge. The bag contained nothing of great value. Mining Work Ceasing.

One avenue of employment on the West Coast has recently been partially closed, a number of skilled and unskilled labourers on boring plants throughout the district having had their services dispensed with, reports the Grey River Argus. One of the largest mining companies at present operating on the West Coast has practically completed all the boring it has in view, and accordingly has put off several gangs of men. In another case it is reported that the overseas capital behind the venture has been withdrawn on account of the tension over the Abyssinian situation. Foxton Pori Closure?

The uncertainty of navigability of the port of Foxton has caused concern recently, and proposals submitted by the Harbour Board for improvemehts have prompted the contributing bodies to question the desirability of continuing the provision of shipping facilities. The area served covers the Manawatu, Southern Hawkes Bay and Northern Wairarapa, and the trade is mostly with South Island ports, the principal traffic being in coal and cereals. A conference will be held at Palmerston North to consider what steps will be taken, as there is a possibility that if improvements are not made the vessels at present trading with Foxton will be withdrawn. Money Spent on Races.

The amount of money the general public is willing to spend on races is one indication of the prosperity of the country. It is significant to trace the increase in the amount of stakes and the totalisator investments, as given in the September issue of the Abstract of Statistics, from 1933 to 1935. For the racing year ended July, the amount of stakes in 1933 was £312,788. Last year the figure was £335,985. This year it had increased to £348,815. For the three years, in the same order, totalisator investments were £3,678,251, £3,904,948 and £4,017,150. The amount paid in dividends has increased in sympathy from £3,033,510 to £3,314,961.

Historic Bugle Call. At dawn on September 14, 1914, the German warships Schamhorst and Gneisenau were discovered steaming toward Apia in what had been German Samoa until a fortnight before, and a bugle sounded the alarm that sent the New Zealand Samoan Expeditionary Force hurrying to defensive stations. The same bugle was sounded at the reunion of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade at Wellington last week by the same bugler, Lieutenant E. T. McKain. Twenty-one years ago the New Zealanders expected a battle, but the warships made off when they discovered that Sartioa had been captured. Jubilee Stamps.

When the . New Zealand jubilee stamps were withdrawn from sale, after having been in issue for six weeks only, 4,800,000 halfpenny stamps had been sold, 8,400,000 penny, and 320,000 sixpenny. 'Die set was extremely popular, and a writer in the Philatelic Journel of Great Britain selects it as the best of the jubilee sets from an investment point of view. Postally used specimens of the sixpenny value are very hard to acquire now. When the set was finally withdrawn from sale 1,200,000 halfpenny, 1,600,000 penny and 180,000 sixpenny stamps—the remainder of the stocks printed—were destroyed. Various island stamps overprinted as a special jubilee issue were sold to the number of approximately 762,000, and when these were withdrawn approximately 73,000 were destroyed.

Discovery in Cave. The discovery by Maoris of a number of Maori articles and a large' key in a secluded cave on the sea coast . at Whangaroa is believed to be a link with a sea. chest said to have contained valuables and to have been missing since the massacre of the Boyd in 1809. Recently the Maoris entered a cavern over which the spell of tapu had been cast. It had been blocked by earth and a pohutukawa tree grew at the entrance. It is uncertain when the fcave was last entered, but it has been established that no-one had been in it for over 58 years. The roof had collapsed. A large collection of native fish-hooks, mats and other articles was found. Probably the most interesting article discovered, however, was a key of ancient • design, and 4Jin long. It is thought to be the key of a ship’s, chest, and was found on a ledge. It is said that when the Maoris secured possession of the Boyd a chest was removed from the ship. Damage by Deer in Westland.

The serious damage being done by deer in Westland was described to the Westland County Council by Cr. N. H. Brown, who said that it appeared that the trouble was growing steadily worse, states the Christchurch Press. Not only were hundreds of acres of bush being ruined, but matured trees were being killed. The deer stripped the undergrowth and made it possible to ride through places through which previously it was difficult to make progress on foot. The removal of the natural protection from the hillsides caused slips, blocked streams, which resulted in flooding, and marred the scenic beauties of the country. Cr. Brown moved that more effective measures should be taken to deal with the menace, and that the co-operation of other counties affected should be sought. Other members strongly supported these, contentions, one speaker saying that if the deer were not checked -ettlers in some parts would have to walk out. in ten years’ time as good grazing land was being laid waste. The motion was carried.